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14 WINES&VINES November 2016 WINE INDUSTRY NEWS Precept buys vineyard Precept Wine purchased 62 acres bordering its existing Skyfall Vine- yard in the Yakima Valley, located just south of Red Mountain outside of Benton City, Wash., according to a statement released by chief exec- utive officer Andrew Browne. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Pre- cept acquired Skyfall, a 174-acre parcel comprised of both vineyards and orchard land, in June 2013. Plumpjack buys Ladera facility The Plumpjack Group purchased an 82-acre Napa Valley estate and winery from Ladera Vineyards. The vineyard and winery will be used as an extension of Plumpjack's 12,000-case Cade Winery, which is located nearby in Angwin, Calif. The property includes 74 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 3 acres of Sauvignon Blanc. Plumpjack is not buying the 15,000-case brand, and the company will continue to purchase grapes from the vineyard. Vintage buys Delectus Winery Vintage Wine Estates in Santa Rosa, Calif., announced its pur- chase of 5,000-case Delectus Win- ery in St. Helena, Calif. According to a statement from Vintage, Chris Phelps has been appointed con- sulting winemaker, and founder Linda Butler will lead hospitality, trade, media and private tastings as well as oversee winery events and the wine club. The purchase of Delectus "reflects Vintage Wine Estates' acquisition strategy fo- cusing on luxury alcohol beverage portfolios with strong foundations and room to grow." In the past two years, Vintage added Swanson Winery & Vineyards in Napa Val- ley, B.R. Cohn Winery in Sonoma, Calif., and Napa-based Splinter Group Spirits to its portfolio. Phelps previously was winemaker emeritus for Swanson. More trouble with The Stag Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) filed a motion to dismiss a complaint filed by Washington-based Ste. Michelle Wine Estates over wine brand The Stag. A trademark infringement suit filed in U.S. District Court by Ste. Michelle alleged TWE sought to convince consumers The Stag was related to the Stag's Leap Ameri- can Viticultural Area and particu- larly its own Stag's Leap Winery. TWE is the owner of Stags' Leap, which has clashed with Stag's Leap previously about its name. How- ever, TWE maintains that the stag imagery is meant to reference the Australian winery St. Huberts, and serve as a bridge for TWE to launch a California Cabernet under the St. Huberts label. Santa Barbara winery ordinance clears hurdle After more than four years of dis- cussion, the Santa Barbara Plan- n i n g C o m m i s s i o n a p p ro v e d a winery ordinance Sept. 19 and sent it to the county Board of Supervi- sors for a vote. Items covered in the updated ordinance include limita- tions for special events, the num- ber of visitors allowed at tasting rooms and changes to the permit- ting process. Under the proposed regulations, the county's smallest wineries would now be able to offer on-site tastings by appointment. UC Davis gets OK to sell wine California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation into law that will allow the University of California, Davis, to sell wine produced by students in viticulture and enology classes. Previously the wine created for edu- cational purposes was destroyed or discarded. The legislation, spon- sored by state Sen. Lois Wolk of Davis, forms a nonprofit organiza- tion that will market and sell the wine. Proceeds from the sales will benefit the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. Priorities shift for wine companies looking to acquire vineyards and winemaking space Finance professionals from F. Korbel & Bros., Jackson Family Wines, E. & J. Gallo Winery and other wine industry giants spoke candidly about the booming acquisitions market and what each of their companies looks for when considering expansion or a sale. See page 15. Wineries report solid yields from 2016 harvest The 2016 growing season was a return to normal, according to many winemakers and growers who spoke to Wines & Vines as harvest drew to a close. Tonnage is expected to be up slightly for the year, and many vineyard managers reported longer hang times and even ripening among the trends. See page 16. Constellation sells Canadian brands, buys Charles Smith Wines Constellation Brands Inc. announced the sale of its Canadian wine busi- ness to the Ontario Teacher's Pension Plan for more than $760 million ($1 billion Canadian), while also acquiring five super- and ultra-premium wines from vintner Charles Smith for approximately $120 million. The Canadian assets being divested include Jackson-Triggs and Inniskillin, while Constellation is buying Kung Fu Girl Riesling, Velvet Devil Merlot, Boom Boom! Syrah, Eve Chardonnay and Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon. Smith retains K Vintners, Wines of Substance, ViNO, Casa Smith, SIXTO, B. Leighton and Charles & Charles. See page 18. LATEST NEWS More detail on the news at winesandvines.com Top Stories The month in perspective